Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-19
INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE.
The Explanation Of a Very Interesting
Puzzle
Cincinnati Goa mercial Gaz cite.


Puzzle
Cincinnati Goa mercial- Gaz stte.
WHAT is the international Date Line, -
and on what meridian is it located?
Our correspondent seeks information
on curious and interesting subject.
Taking for granted familiarity with the
rOtundity Of the earth and it's daily revo-
luton from west to east on it's axis, 1t
will moi be difficult to grasp the idea of q
dste line, or the line marking the places
where the days Of the week are as
sumed to begin and end. The interna-
uOusl date line marks the boundary be
tween places settled by men who sailed
from the east and those settled
oy men who came from the west. When
Il IS Sunday west Of this line it is Satur-
Gay east Of it. There seems to be an i'm
preston that 1902 east or west from
greenwich is the point at which this
chsDge of date occurs. This is, how
ever, not the case. The line is very ir-
regular one, located mainly in the Pacific,
oCesn and extending from pole to poles
Along the date lines dates must be made
later BY one day when crossing it from
aay when crossing it from west to east.
Inc earth revOlVes on its axis from
west to east every twenty-four hours.
suppose person starting from any given
meridian at the moment of sunrise on
monday morning was able to travel due
west with the same speed with which the
earth revolves eastward, he would make
me journey around the esrth and arrive
81 his starting point in exactly twenty
our hours. TWenty-four hours of time
nave elapsed, but to this traveller the sun
mas been on the point of rising all the
uIne, and to him it would still be sunrise
monday morning, while to his family 1t
would, OF course, be sunrise Tuesday
mofnlng. He has apparently lost day.
NOW, suppose he was to start at noon
Vi tuesday and travel eastward at the
same rate of speed with which the earth
IeVolVes eastward on its axis. He would
MAKE the journey around the earth in ex
aCIly twenty-four hours. 1t would be
noon when he reached the opposite side
VI Inc earth and noon again when he re-
turned to his starting point. He would
nave three Moons in twenty-four hours.
"a his return 1t would seem to him TO be
thursday noon, though his family would
assure him it was only Wednesday noon.
ne would apparently have gained q
usy by travelling eastward. For ev-
cry degree one travels westward it
Is necessary to tuTn back the hand
VI watch four minutes, in order to keep
we time of the meridians crossed. Every
uaVeler on east and west lines, even on
comparatively short journeys, is aware of
'nls gain or loss of lime. When we travel
Sround the earth, ID either direction,
! mere is difference IN time of one day,
ue result being the same without regard
" ~ me rate Of speed. To avoid this con-
.uslon Of dates, some line has been deter
mined upon st which eastern bound trav-
etefs add day, and westward bound
VI o5aVelers drop day from their reckoning.
line.
The calendars used in. the civilized
mofld originated in Rome. Communica
uOn irom Rome westward would natur-
,sAy De considered earlier In time, at the
same instant, while eastward communi-
0aUon would be considered later in time,